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The SITE for Contemporary Psychoanalysis

From No Subject
The SITE for Contemporary Psychoanalysis
Organization details
TypeTraining organization
Founded1997
Founder(s)Psychotherapists seeking innovative training
OrientationLacanian / Continental Philosophy / Critical Theory
Institutional context
AffiliationCouncil for Psychoanalysis and Jungian Analysis (CPJA)
Relation to IPANone
Operations
HeadquartersLondon, UK
Geographic scopeUnited Kingdom
Training functionPersonal therapy, seminars, supervised clinical work, the Pass
PublicationsSitegeist
Websitethe-site.org.uk


The SITE for Contemporary Psychoanalysis (commonly referred to as The SITE) is a psychoanalytic training organization based in London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1997, it is affiliated with the Council for Psychoanalysis and Jungian Analysis (CPJA) and maintains no formal relation to the International Psychoanalytical Association (IPA).[1][2] The SITE emphasizes a Lacanian orientation integrated with Continental philosophy and critical theory, focusing on non-normative approaches to gender, sexuality, and mental distress within broader historical, philosophical, and political contexts.[1][2]

Distinguished by its resistance to formal systematization and hierarchical institutionalization, The SITE promotes a comparative, critical engagement with diverse psychoanalytic traditions while prioritizing the uniqueness of the analytic relationship.[2]

History

Precursors and Origins

Prior to its formal establishment, The SITE emerged from discussions among UK psychotherapists dissatisfied with prevailing training models, seeking to integrate psychoanalytic practice with contemporary philosophical and social critiques.[3]

Founding (1997)

The SITE for Contemporary Psychoanalysis was established in October 1997 by a group of psychotherapists aiming to develop a training programme attuned to the historical, philosophical, and political dimensions of psychoanalysis.[3][1] It was incorporated as a charitable company, with charity registration granted on 15 January 2001.[4][5]

The organization has since grown as a key independent training body in the UK, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2022 while maintaining its commitment to non-normative clinical practices.[3]

No major schisms or controversies are prominently documented in available sources.

Organizational Structure

The SITE operates as a charitable company with a governance model emphasizing vitality through resistance to rigid institutionalization, fostering self-reflective practices among members.[2][4]

Governance

Governed by a board typical of UK charitable companies, it prioritizes democratic and non-hierarchical processes aligned with its theoretical emphasis on avoiding power concentration.[5]

Membership Categories

Membership is attained through completion of the training, culminating in the "Pass" presentation. Specific categories such as trainee, qualified psychoanalyst, or supervisor are implied through training progression, though detailed tiers are not specified in public records.[2]

Formation of Analysts

Training at The SITE is structured around personal therapy, theoretical and clinical seminars, written papers, supervised patient work, and a final case presentation known as the Pass.[2]

Seminars and Clinical Work

The curriculum is broad and comparative, addressing psychoanalytic traditions alongside issues of race, gender, sexuality, social class, and the social contexts of mental distress. Emphasis is placed on deep listening, the role of language, and self-questioning in clinical encounters.[2]

The Pass

Graduation requires trainees to present their case for membership via the Pass, a procedure evaluating readiness as a psychoanalyst through reflective demonstration of clinical capacity.[2]

The SITE does not employ Lacanian devices such as the cartel or pass in the strict École de la Cause freudienne sense, but adapts a presentation-based "Pass" attuned to contemporary critical orientations.[2]

Key Concepts and Orientation

The SITE aligns with Lacanian psychoanalysis while incorporating Continental philosophy and critical theory. Core emphases include:

  • Non-normative approaches to gender and sexuality.
  • Critical psychiatry and the socio-political contexts of mental distress.
  • The uniqueness of the psychoanalytic relationship, resisting systematization.[1][2]

This orientation informs institutional practices by promoting individualized positions, comparative critique, and attentiveness to power dynamics in analysis and training.[2]

Publications

The SITE publishes Sitegeist, its official journal addressing contemporary psychoanalytic themes through critical and philosophical lenses.[1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "The Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis". NoSubject.com.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 "Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis". UKCP.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Site 25 Years in Contemporary Psychoanalysis".
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "THE SITE FOR CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOANALYSIS - 1084537". Charity Commission.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "THE SITE FOR CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOANALYSIS". Companies House.
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